If even the most unjust of judges will relent to the pleas of a defenseless widow.

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,

how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (LK 11:13).

 

Blessed Virgin Mary

St. Gertrude, virgin

St. Margaret of Scotland

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

3 John 5-8

Beloved,

You do well to care for the brothers and sisters as you do. I mean, those coming from other places. They spoke of your charity before the assembled Church. It will be well, to provide them with what they need, to continue their journey, as if you did it for God. In reality, they have set out on the road for his name without accepting anything from the pagans. We should receive such persons, making ourselves their cooperators in the work of the truth.

 

Ps 112:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 Blessed the man who fears the Lord.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Luke 18:1-8

Jesus told them a parable, to show them that they should pray continually, and not lose heart. He said, "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor people. In the same town there was a widow who kept coming to him, saying, 'Defend my rights against my adversary!' For a time he refused, but finally he thought, 'Even though I neither fear God nor care about people, this widow bothers me so much, I will see that she gets justice; then she will stop coming and wearing me out."

 

And Jesus said, "Listen to what the evil judge says. Will God not do justice for his chosen ones, who cry to him day and night, even if he delays in answering them? I tell you, he will speedily do them justice. But, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

 

Gospel Reflection ：

 

Reflection:

"Do not lose heart."

Today's Gospel pericope summons us to be persistent in our prayers and to pray without ceasing. To graphically explain this, Jesus told a story to his listeners. He narrated that there in a certain town was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about the people.

 

In that same town, there was a widow who kept on asking the judge to defend her rights against her adversary. For a long time, the judge refused to attend to the needs of the widow when finally he gave in to the plea of the widow for justice. In this passage, Luke has put prayer and justice together.

 

Moreover, we may also reflect not only on the persistence of the widow in demanding  justice but her persistence, for a long time, also served as a critique of the uncaring and corrupt ways of the judge. As we proceed in this faith journey, we should be more and more mindful of and responsive to the perpetual challenge that expressions of our faith be translated into just practices.

 

True holiness remains inseparable from social justice. The widow's holiness should humble a society that claims itself to be Christian but remains silent amidst human rights violations.